NGC 7293 is one of the closest of all Planetary Nebula and also one of the mayor
in apparent size.At
the distance of 450 light years it offers a dramatic view of the final evolution
stage of aSolar
type star.Unfortunately
it is not an easy object to observe.This
is because the light spans over an important area a bit more of the size of half
Moon. The nebula itself is 2.5 light year across. Even the Herschelís could not
catalogue this object. The name know as Helix is because its shape appearance in
the photographs.